Military K-9 Unit Christmas. Valerie Hansen

Base and I’m one of his techs. That’s what he meant when he said we worked together, although actually I work for him.”

      Angela managed a lopsided smile. “Wonderful. You’ll be with all those protective dogs they train. Couldn’t be better.”

      “And when you get well we’ll find you an apartment close to Canyon so we can see each other all the time.”

      The dreamy, weary expression on her sister’s face comforted Rachel. When Angela closed her eyes and sighed, she did the same. Hands still clasped together, Rachel began to pray with her and for her. “Thank you, Father, for healing old wounds in our hearts and for the healing You are about to do in Angela’s body. Amen.”

      Rachel watched Angela’s eyelids flutter. Her breathing had been noisy all along but now it began to sound labored even though the beeping machines kept up their even cadence. Rachel wanted to tell Angela how much she loved her but was hesitant to disturb her further. Time ticked past so slowly that every second felt as if it lasted minutes.

      Praying silently, Rachel listened to the mechanical manifestations of her sister’s life until suddenly Angela was squeezing her hand. Rachel met her gaze, mirrored Angela’s smile and felt her heart breaking. An amazing peace and release settled over the bruised face. Angie’s pain and suffering were over. Her sister was finally free. Peter couldn’t hurt her anymore.

      But what about Natalie? The little girl had never met her aunt Rachel before today and now she was going to have to take her away from the only home she’d ever known. How could she possibly make a child understand and accept the situation when she hardly could herself?

      Three ICU nurses and a doctor had finished confirming Rachel’s fears and had left by the time she heard the sound of boots on the bare floor. Kyle was back. And Natalie was undoubtedly with him. Angela was positioned as if asleep, but Maria Alvarez guessed what had happened in their absence and gasped, beginning to mutter a prayer as she stepped ahead to block Natalie’s view.

      Kyle, too, quickly closed the distance. He stopped behind Rachel and laid a hand of comfort on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

      Without hesitation she accepted his condolences by placing one of her hands atop his and saying, “Thank you.”

      “I wanna see my mama,” the little girl whined. She was trying to wiggle past the adults.

      “Let her come closer,” Rachel said, surprised at how calm and in control she felt despite everything. She held out her hands and Natalie let her pick her up. The urge to kiss the child’s hair and stroke her back as a mother would surged through Rachel and squeezed her heart. “I’ll take care of you now, honey. You can come and live with me.”

      The big blue eyes, lashes wet with tears, looked up at Rachel as if she had just promised the world. “I—I don’t have to go back to Peter?”

      Rachel pulled her close again and dried her cheeks. “No, baby, no. We’re not going to have anything more to do with Peter. I promise.”

      As she comforted her niece and glanced at the others, she saw concern in Maria’s expression and disbelief in Kyle’s.

      “What else can I do?” she asked him aside. “If I send Natalie with Maria, Peter will know how to find her and try to take her back. I have as much legal right to her as he does.”

      “How do you figure?”

      “Angela said they never married and his name is not on the birth certificate. He’d have to go to court to prove he actually is her father, and I’m sure a background check will show him as an unsuitable parent.”

      “Then we should call the authorities and do this the right way, the legal way,” Kyle warned. “You can get in a lot of trouble if you just walk off with her.”

      “I know, but...” Rachel looked to Maria for moral support and found the older woman staring out the window at the parking lot below. Nobody could blame her for turning away. She’d been sucked into this mess by being a Good Samaritan and probably feared and hated Peter VanHoven almost as much as Angela had.

      “Ai-yi-yi.” Hands clamped over her mouth, Maria whirled.

      Rachel tensed. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

      “It’s him! Look. He’s coming!”

      “Who? Peter? Where?” Rachel asked, joining her. “Angie said he was in jail. Are you sure?”

      Kyle crowded closer, too. “Which one is he?”

      Maria pointed. “There. Getting out of the old red truck. See?”

      “Maybe he’s out on bail. If he’s the guy I think you mean, he’s good and mad. Look at his body language.”

      “Yeah.” Putting Natalie down, Rachel began to gather up the few personal items Maria had brought for the child.

      Kyle frowned. “What are you doing?”

      She paused only long enough to glance his way and say, “Running. Far and fast.”

      “That’s wrong.” Arms folded across his broad chest, Kyle stood like a sentinel, apparently ready to enforce his opinion.

      “I don’t care if you go with us or not. Natalie and I are leaving.”

      “Get a grip and think,” Kyle urged. “Where will you go?”

      “Back to the base if we’re welcome to ride with you,” Rachel shot back. “Out the door and into hiding if you don’t help us. I’m not staying here where VanHoven can get his filthy hands on me or anybody else.” She glanced at the still figure on the bed. “He’s done enough damage for a lifetime.”

      Rachel was ready to abandon Kyle and carry out her threat, and she would have, if Natalie had not grabbed a bedraggled baby doll in one hand and Kyle’s index finger in the other. The man’s expression froze for an instant, then melted in a way Rachel had not seen in the two years she’d worked for him.

      He was going to help them escape. She could tell that as surely as if he had spoken.

      One final peek out the window was all she allowed herself. No sign of Peter! He must already be passing beneath the entrance canopy, on his way to berate Angie for his arrest when she was the true victim. Rachel had seen it before, plenty of times. It was his excuse for normal.

      And since Angie was not going to be available to listen to his tirade, he was sure to turn his wrath on whoever happened to be close by, such as his daughter. Or Rachel. As much as she would like to see someone give him a taste of his own medicine, she knew better than to place Kyle in such a tenuous situation when a confrontation could be avoided.

      What she must do is grab her niece and run. Now.

       THREE

      Rachel sidled through the door from the ICU into the hallway. She had shouldered Natalie’s small bag along with her own purse and was towing the child by the hand. Kyle brought up the rear.

      Suddenly, Natalie was pulled away. Rachel whirled, ready to do battle, when she realized that her companion had picked up the little girl and was headed in a different direction. For a few seconds she wondered if his plan was to return the child to her father. Then, he allayed her fears.

      “Not the elevator, Rachel. He’ll probably come up that way. We’ll take the stairs. Follow me.”

      That logic was unquestionable. She fell in behind him. He shouldered through the stairway exit door and cradled Natalie while he waited for Rachel to pass. Her body was trembling, her legs unsteady. Each downward step brought her closer to escape, closer to the parked SUV that would carry them all away before it was too late.

      Would they make it? They had to, for Natalie’s sake if for no other reason. Rachel had vowed to protect her niece,